ZCZC
BSP-30
TENNIS-WIMBLEDON-DJOKOVIC
Serbian press crown Djokovic ‘King of Tennis’
BELGRADE, July 15, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – The Serbian press on Monday
proclaimed Novak Djokovic “king of tennis” with the “heart of a hero” after
he claimed his fifth Wimbledon title beating eight-time champion Roger
Federer.
The 32-year-old Serbian saved two match points as he took his Grand Slam
tally to 16, four off Federer’s overall record in the longest final in the
tournament’s history on Sunday.
“Novak, King of Tennis,” read the Blic daily paper frontpage headline.
“The fifth Crown for the King,” echoed the Vecernje Novosti paper.
“He certainly did not play his best tennis but he knew how to handle the
key moments due to his main weapon, his mental strength,” Blic commented.
Djokovic, contrary to his habits, “did not show any emotion during the
whole match” which lasted 4 hours and 57 minutes, it said.
The Danas daily paper said the match offered the public “all that can be
seen in a perfect tennis match… suspense, drama and a happy ending … for
Djokovic”.
Newspapers stressed that the world number who is now level on five
Wimbledon titles with Bjorn Borg is the first man in 70 years to win the
title after recovering from two match points down.
“One has to be honest and note that Federer played impeccably. Most of the
time he was the better player on the court. Two missed match points are
unbelievable. But, here, he missed them,” the paper said.
For the Informer tabloid Djokovic won “against Federer and the public”
cheering for the Swiss. The Politika daily paper said that “all was against
Djokovic” during Sunday’s match.
An opponent with the “record number of Wimbledon trophies, two match
points, the entire public backing his rival, the statistics practically all
favourable to the Swiss and (Djokovic) lacking his best shots most of the
time,” it said.
“It is with the heart of a hero that Djokovic won this final, one of the
most dramatic,” in the tournament’s history, Politika concluded.
Despite being outplayed by the 37-year-old Swiss for large parts of the
knife-edge encounter, Djokovic triumphed 7-6 (7/5), 1-6, 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 13-
12 (7/3).
BSS/AFP/BZC/2011HRS